One of the best office chairs is a must if you really want to look after yourself while you're at work – whether in the office or at home. These great seats help look after your back by maintaining your posture and providing some lower back support if or when you need it.
Choosing such a chair isn't an easy task though. You want a chair with enough structural support to keep you from reverting to an unhealthy pose while sitting at your desk, keeping your back upright and your posture comfortable, while also supporting your neck and arms as required. It’s one of those worthwhile things in life that you should consider spending a bit of money on.
That doesn’t mean you should simply buy the most expensive thing on the market. Making sure you’re getting value for money and the back support you need is why we’ve put this guide together, built off of tested and reviewed office chairs from the international TechRadar team.
We’ve assessed the best office chairs based on build quality, lumbar support, materials, feeling and cost to find the best option for your desk, whether you need a seat for a working-from-home workstation or if you’re an avid gamer after a comfy seat for long gaming sessions.
You’ll find that some office chairs come with dramatically higher prices than others, which can often be attributed to premium names or refined fabrics. Some chairs will also have a focus on aesthetics while others will have much more breathable structures that are ideal for more humid workspaces.
Without any further ado, these are the best office chairs in Singapore to keep you seated in comfort.
Recent updates
November 2024: To prepare for Black Friday, we've made sure all the information on this page is up to date and all products available to buy.
Sharmishta has had back issues for years and is constantly in search of her 'perfect' office chair. She's reviewed quite a few chairs, and has picked up a thing or two about what to look for when shopping for an office chair.
Best Office Chairs: the quick list
Best of the best
A brilliant office chair that is well-designed and constructed, with top-notch adjustability that offers comfort all day long.
Best ergonomic chair
Our pick for relieving back pain, the Sihoo Doro C300 is a sturdy chair with a breathable design, perfect if comfort is your priority.
Best budget option
If you’re looking for a quality office chair that won’t break the bank, the Steelcase Personality Plus is a budget-friendly option with a pop of colour.
Best for customisation
A premium build with a stack of customisation add-ons, the X-Chair is a mesh seat that can be personalised to the exact needs of any office.
Best for small offices
Compact and with a premium build, the Steelcase Series 2 is a great option if you’re after a mesh chair for a small office space.
Best for gamers
Whether you like to play games everyday or just on the odd occasion, the Razer Enki is a quality-built gaming chair that offers up excellent comfort levels for any gamer.
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Best for larger people
With a maximum load of 180kg, the Secretlab Titan Evo can support a range of body shapes and sizes thanks to a sturdy build quality and a variety of adjustable points.
Best for long hours and comfort
A great chair with an executive style, the Humanscale Freedom earned a TechRadar Recommends seal of approval in our review. It’s designed for all-day comfort with a brilliant aesthetic.
Best premium mesh chair
Built to suit both large and small individuals, the Herman Miller Aeron is a premium mesh office chair with a price tag to match.
Best office chair overall
Leading our pick of the best office chairs is Singapore's own ErgoTune Supreme V3. This latest version of its popular Supreme chair has been fine-tuned after feedback from users of the older models, practically perfecting a very comfortable and ergonomic seat.
Its mesh body is strong and practically everything about it adjustable, with a total of 11 adjustment points. From a head support to lumbar support, plus arm rests and even different sized gas lifts for users of different heights – it feels like the Supreme V3 was made after keeping almost everyone in mind.
The company is so confident in its chair that there's a very generous 12-year warranty on the item. The only issue that we found with the Supreme V3 is that it's not the widest seat you can get. With a width of 61cm, it may be a tight fit for bigger users. However, if that's not going to be an issue, the ErgoTune Supreme V3 is remarkably comfortable, a perfect throne for all-day sitting, even Singapore's tropical, humid heat, with plenty of ergonomic support in places where it's needed the most.
Read our full ErgoTune Supreme V3 review
Best ergonomic office chair
The Sihoo Doro C300 is all ergonomics. It's an exceptionally comfortable chair, put together with a breathable fabric design that looks both high-end and makes for a great all-day option.
The frame of the Sihoo Doro C300 is quite solid. Despite its complex-looking aesthetic, it’s not a difficult thing to put together. It features dynamic lumbar support that makes it easy to get comfortable at any time throughout the day.
This said, a major drawback is that the lumbar support can’t be adjusted up or down, which could create problems for taller or shorter individuals. Additionally, the 3D armrests move quite easily.
Read our full Sihoo Doro C300 review
Best budget office chair
It's not the most ergonomic chair we've tried, but we love the Steelcase Personality Plus for its value for money. Not only is it well designed, with different colours available directly from the manufacturer, it's got some features that you won't find in some other entry-level office chairs. For one, the armrests pivot a little and can be adjusted for height, the seat itself can be moved back and forth marginally and, importantly, it's well made with a sturdy frame.
We prefer the mesh back Personality Plus models, as these are more suitable to hot Aussie summers, but you can opt for an upholstered/padded version too.
Despite the limited number of adjustments that can be made, the Personality Plus is very comfortable, but it lacks decent lumbar support. There is a moveable curved panel for some curvature, but you'll hardly know it's there. If your lower back doesn't require that additional support, the Personality Plus will go a long way, with a 12-year warranty in place.
Read our in-depth Steelcase Personality Plus review
Best office chair for customisation
The X-Chair X2 K-Sport Mgmt Chair is a premium office chair with a unique design. While other ergonomic office chairs feature a mesh back to keep you cool while working, the X-Chair takes things up a notch by also using mesh for the seat. This helps keep your whole body cool while also making the chair quite easy to clean.
X-Chair offers plenty of optional extras like a headrest, an extended width seat, rollerblade style rubberised casters and armrests that rotate a full 360 degrees for those that want to make the X2 their own. At the same time, the company’s heat, massage and cooling modules slip into the X2’s Dynamic Variable Lumbar support and can be charged with an AC adapter or using a USB cable. The X2 is certainly an investment but those who spend a long time sitting at their desk each day will appreciate its comfort and adjustability.
Read our full X-Chair X2 K-Sport Mgmt Chair review
Best office chair for small spaces
There are some truly expensive ergonomic chairs out there, and while some of these premium price tags are well worth it, they can easily scare customers off the whole category. The Steelcase Series 2 is an excellent 'entry-level' ergonomic task chair that is comfortable where it counts and comes with a few customisation options so you don't pay extra for features you don't need. Although the base model itself more expensive than the Personality Plus listed above.
Its mesh back is simultaneously supportive, cushioning and breathable. You can adjust the seat height as well as how far forward it sits from the back, which makes for a very comfortable experience when coupled with the adjustable lumbar support. While there are two options for recline resistance, you can't lock the chair at an angle, so it's best suited for those that are after an upright seated position with the option to lean back from time to time.
You can order it without a headrest or armrests, making it really rather affordable for the category and especially compact. While it may not provide the fully encapsulating and tweakable design of chairs twice its price, the Series 2 focuses on the essentials for comfort and long sitting sessions.
For more detail, you can check out our thorough Steelcase Series 2 review.
Best office chair for gamers
If you want a gaming chair that masquerades as a typical office chair, the Razer Enki will fit that niche. It comes in a professional-looking black leather design that doesn’t skimp on comfort, with high density foam and a solid five-leg aluminium base, earning it a 4.5-star rating and a TechRadar Pro Recommends badge that very few other office chairs can lay claim to.
The materials used in this chair are soft, though you won’t get the breathability offered by mesh chairs. It also features great lumbar support, especially for its price, as well as extended shoulder archers and a wide base, so it’ll suit most people up to the 136kg weight range. If you’re a taller person, however, you might find that the head pillow sits a little too low with no adjustability options.
Read our full Razer Enki review
Best office chair for larger people
Secretlab is known for its quality gaming chairs, and while most thrones in this category might be considered a little bit too flashy for the office, this isn't as important when you're in your own home. In fact, for a gaming chair, the default design of the latest 2022 model Titan Evo is actually rather subdued, with minimal branding and quieter trimmings, but there's plenty of customisation to be had if that's what you're after.
The best thing about the Titan is that there's an XL option that's purpose-built for people on the larger side – both vertically and horizontally – so people that fit this category don't have to make do with a 'one-size-fits-all' solution. You have plenty in the way of adjustments, including lumbar support, and the pleather is easy to clean (albeit a little sweaty at times).
You can check out our detailed Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 gaming chair review to get a better idea of what you're in for.
Best office chair for long hours
It was difficult to swap out the Herman Miller Embody on this list, but the Humanscale Freedom has taken the spot. If you’re going to be seated in a place for hours on end, then you’ll want to consider the Humanscale Freedom.
An immense 15-year warranty makes the Freedom an attractive chair from the outset, but the self-adjusting backrest and the exceptional balance between comfort and support really seal the deal on the seat.
The only downsides to the Freedom are minor nitpicks – the headrest and armrest wiggle around slightly and if you want the leather variant, expect to spend almost double the cost of the fabric model.
Read our full Humanscale Freedom review
Best premium mesh office chair
While it's certainly not the cheapest office chair on our list, the Aeron from designer brand Herman Miller has made quite the name for itself with its adjustable ergonomic design and breathable fabric.
Pretty much every component you could think of wanting to fine-tune (and a few you wouldn't even think of) can be tweaked and adjusted with the Aeron, so if you want to skip the cheaper options and go right to the top, the Aeron will not disappoint. It's particularly suited to larger users, so this would work well for anyone.
Best office chairs: FAQs
What are the different types of office chairs?
Ergonomic office chair
An office or home ergonomic office chair is designed for comfort and better posture while sitting, with support for your lower back and improved bodyweight distribution.
Executive office chair
A premium. padded office chair, usually boasting a high-back and leather upholstery, designed for all-day comfort and support.
Mid-back office chair
As the name suggests, this is a seat with a low backrest that reaches below the shoulders. The design is popular in smaller home offices, boardrooms, and communal areas.
Gaming chair
A plush, adjustable chair, usually covered with fabric or leatherette for soft cushioning during long gaming sessions
High-back office chair
The classic tall office chair design, offering full back support from the base of the spine to the neck. Often, high-back office chairs feature a built-in or detachable headrest.
Task chair
A functional chair that’s built for most workspaces and employee body types, they usually feature a slim profile and compact, ergonomic design, and a focus on productivity.
What is the difference between an office chair, task chair, and gaming chair?
Office chairs are a broad category, with high-back and mid-back styles, sometimes padded. Mesh designs are popular in modern offices, while padded ones are usually seen at home and in executive offices.
A task chair is a type of office chair designed for functional use across almost any workspace. This type of office chair tends to be small, ergonomic, and business-like.
A gaming chair usually has a well-padded design for long, comfortable gaming sessions. While some have RGB accents, others feature professional designs fit for home and office.
There are a few differences when it comes to office chairs vs desk chairs. Some gaming chairs work great and many traditional office seating options can be used as gaming chairs. In fact, many gamers out there opt for a good office chair over those kitschy bucket seat gaming chairs that promise comfort but don’t exactly deliver.
That said, the one thing that generally sets the best gaming chairs apart from office chairs is their design. They’re heavily inspired by race car bucket seats, oversized frames, support cushions, gaming logos, and bright or distinctive colors. Meanwhile, office and task chairs built for work and productivity are designed to blend into a business or work-from-home environment and usually feature subtle colors, flatter seat cushions, and a mesh or padded backrest.
An office chair, task chair, or gaming chair will offer plenty of options to adjust the armrest, tilt tension and locking, seat height and depth, lumbar support, and more. However, in our experience, gaming chairs often offer more flexibility in the reclining options, having most chairs recline back and feature a headrest pillow for extra gaming support.
How can I make my work chair more comfortable?
When you need to know How to make an office chair more comfortable, it's worth considering that many of the top choices offer lots of flexibility, customisation, and adjustability. This way, you can find the most comfortable position for extended hours. If you're struggling to find the right position for comfort, it may be your posture or the chair's current set-up.
How much should I spend on the best office chairs?
When it comes to budget, there's no right or wrong answer – so long as you're not making these 5 common mistakes most people make when buying an office chair.
You can find a super-comfortable office chair for around the SG$300 mark, or spend thousands on a premium ergonomic seat. Generally speaking, we'd avoid suspiciously cheap chairs – anything below SG$100-SG$150 will likely suffer from poor build quality, limited adjustability and padding. In our experience, those in the SG$100 bracket can be very hit and miss, so check reviews.
There are many factors at play when you're looking at how to buy an office chair and you can find a comfortable and ergonomic chair in every budget range.
How often should office chairs be replaced?
The answer isn’t quite straightforward here. Obviously, if you’ve got a chair that’s broken or no longer provides good support, there’s no better time than now to replace it – hopefully with a better option. But if you’ve got a working chair that has no massive issues, chair manufacturers somewhat disagree on when you should replace yours. And, that’s really due to the fact that it largely depends on their build.
Some crafted for home and office will last you seven to eight years, others will last you five. A handful, like the Humanscale Freedom, will last you 15 or more years. ErgoTune offers 6 years of warranty only, but the chairs are well built and could go the distance. Of course, factors like the level and amount of usage, as well as environmental conditions, matter as well. We recommend consulting your chair’s manufacturer first before dropping a chunk of change on a new chair. And also, trust your gut. You’ll know when your trusty old chair just isn’t cutting it anymore.
How to choose the best office chair
Our 5 essential features of a good office chair gives an in-depth guide of what to look out for when picking the perfect seat, but here’s a quick summary of what to look for when you’re shopping for your next piece of office furniture:
Adjustability
Being able to adjust your office chair can make all the difference to your comfort levels while sitting at your desk. You want to make sure you can raise the chair to suit your height, move the armrests into the most comfortable position for you and check if you can tilt the back to keep yourself seated in the most ergonomic position that best suits your desk.
Size
Office chairs also come in different sizes, and some can be quite bulky. If you have a smaller office, you might want to consider looking at more compact designs that don’t take up too much room.
Additionally, different chairs will suit different body shapes, so you might need to consider your height and weight when shopping for an office chair. Some have been specifically designed to suit taller and larger people, so you can sit comfortably with the right support whether you’re working long hours or enjoying a gaming session.
Ergonomic support
Lumbar support and headrests will keep you sitting comfortably, especially if you’re going to be working long hours in your office chair. The right ergonomic chair can also help keep you productive, as you can focus on work instead of how uncomfortable your chair is.
Materials
Different materials can offer different benefits when it comes to office chairs – mesh chairs allow for a nice airflow to keep the user cool, making them a great option for office spaces in warmer climates. Meanwhile leather or faux leather chairs are great for offices with well-regulated temperature settings with a premium executive design.
Quality of materials is also important – office chairs can cost a lot of money, so you want one that will last. High-quality materials will stay looking nicer for longer, and avoid tears and creases from long-term use, keeping your office chair looking brand new for longer.
Cost
If you’ve got a big budget, you have the pick of the bunch when it comes to office chairs. Though, there are some good high-quality affordable options out there too, and cost is typically affected by the brand, material and design of the chair, along with any additional features.
Try it out
The best way to get a feel for an office chair is to simply try it out yourself. This might not always be an option before buying, but some online sellers have trial periods that will allow you to return the office chair within a certain time period if it doesn’t fit your needs. You’ll need to check the terms and conditions, especially if you’re buying from a third-party seller, to make sure this is an option, otherwise you might be committed to a chair you don’t really like.
Some companies now offer AR visualisation so you can see what a new office chair will look like in your space before you hit the order button. This is a great way to check and see if a chair will fit your aesthetic without dropping any cash and messing about with returns, though not every seller offers this feature.
Warranty and returns
Office chairs can come with up to a 15-year warranty, but this is dependent on the seller. Most office chairs will offer a warranty much less than this, and you’ll need to check with the manufacturer to see what the go is when it comes to ordering parts and materials within the warranty period.
Additionally, it can pay to check the return policy of any seller to ensure that you can get your money back if the chair doesn’t fit your needs. These return policies typically come with a few conditions attached – such as making sure the chair is repackaged and ‘like new’ on return, so check each seller's return policy page ahead of time so you know what you can expect if you need to return it.
How we test
Each office chair we review is tested for over a month, with close consideration given to the comfort, material, adjustability, durability and weight limit of the seat. It’s not just a matter of sitting in the chair while we work, we carefully consider each of the above categories, and how the chair impacts our productivity.
Additionally, we also look at how easy each chair is to assemble and, more importantly, its cost. Options from both the premium and lower end of the price spectrum are put to the test, so we can assess a big variety of chairs. We also take into consideration the design and size of a chair, as each workspace will have its own spatial needs.
See more about our testing process in How we test, review and rate on TechRadar Pro: Office Chairs.
